LAREDO, Texas – The Angelo State women's basketball team fell to Texas A&M International 98-67 in Laredo, Texas on Thursday night in a non-conference bout.
 
The Belles and Dustdevils traded baskets early and often in the first 5 minutes of the contest, finding themselves tied 10-10 after four minutes. The next couple of possessions belonged to the Dustdevils as they went on a 7-0 run, taking a 17-10 lead. TAMIU would go on add to the lead with a 10-5 run to end the quarter as the Belles struggled to stay out of foul trouble.
 
In the second quarter, the Dustdevils lead stretched to 13 points before the Belles went on a 7-0 run, including five straight from Sawyer Lloyd, to bring the deficit to six, 40-34. The Dustdevils would add two more before the break, taking a 42-34 advantage at the half.
 
The Dustdevils shot 59 percent from the field while holding the Belles to a shooting percentage of 45 percent on the night. TAMIU also led in rebounding, 33 to 28, and tallied 35 points off turnovers to only 21 from ASU.
 
The third quarter woes continued early on for the Belles, as Rai Brown scored eight straight for the Dustdevils. She would finish with a game-high 32 points. The Belles had the lead back to just eight until TAMUI went on a 9-0 run in less than two minutes, bringing the score to 59-42.
 
The Belles were outscored 18-6 from beyond the arc, and 12-4 at the free throw line through three as TAMIU extended the lead to 74-52 at the end of the third.
 
Madeline Stephens led the Belles in scoring with 13, adding 5 rebounds. Blakely Gerber and Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant also had double digits with 10 apiece. Lloyd ended up with six points in her return to action while Payton Brown finished the game with six points and nine assists.
 
The Belles continue non-conference action on the road on Saturday as ASU takes on Texas A&M – Kingsville on Dec. 4 at the Gil E. Steinke Center.